We all want to be healthy and feel confident — especially now, as the world is in such a challenging and stressful state of flux and uncertainty. But we can no longer embrace beauty and wellness products that incorporate ingredients, production methods and packaging that take such a massive collective toll on the environment, and on the individuals working throughout supply channels. In this crucial decade for the protection of our planet and the health of its inhabitants, consumers can choose to do better. Reduce   Reduce (or ideally eliminate) your dependency on single-use beauty supplies. Items like ear swabs, cosmetic swabs, cotton rounds/swabs and wipes are all available in washable, reusable formats. You can also cut back on single-use plastics by swapping bottled shampoo, conditioner and body wash for their counterparts in bar-form. Select multi-tasking, long-lasting products that aren’t formulated with wasteful filler ingredients helps reduce vast amounts of transport and packaging waste. Products like Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil — a powerful oil that’s packaged in a compact glass bottle—  performs multiple functions. It’s a moisturizer, cuticle oil, lip salve, eye treatment, and hair serum And with each bottle of it sold at Sephora, they’re currently donating $5 towards One Tree Planted. (Additionally, for every purchase of their 100% Pure Argan Oil, customers will have the option of either donating $10 of the purchase towards helping provide resources to healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, or simply taking $10 off the purchase altogether.) You can also curb your intake in general by vetting the origin of a product’s ingredients, as well as the social responsibility policies and supply lines behind the brands you considering supporting with your hard-earned dollars. If a company isn’t in compliance with environmentally-friendly practices and human rights protections, first, don’t buy from them. (Next, make some noise about it.)   Josie Maran Cosmetics sustainably harvests their Argan Oil from a UNESCO-protected region to help prevent deforestation and overharvesting. A single Argan tree can survive for more than 600 years and can give fruit throughout its entire lifecycle (including trees that are 600+ years old). And Josie Maran Cosmetic’s 100% organic, full-spectrum CBD products are sun grown in California using sustainable farming practices. As this decade is paramount in fighting the Climate Crisis (see “The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis” for full details), look to products and brands who have a plan for the future. For example, by 2021, Josie Maran Cosmetics has pledged to: print all product boxes using only 100% recycled materials, recycled material will be both Green e-certified and FSC-certified, meaning it’s always held to the highest social and environmental standards, and shift box printing to a carbon-neutral facility so less waste created during the production process. (Currently, several of their products are already being produced in facilities that utilize 77% renewable energy.) Recycle   Don’t just toss your empties into the bin— they might be fully recyclable, no matter where you live in the US, and can be used to create something new and useful (like office supplies and furnishings, for example). All of Josie Maran’s products are recyclable via TerraCycle. You don’t even have to clean your containers out to do you part. Just box up your empties, print your free shipping label from your account on TerraCycle, and UPS will ship your package for free. (Visit the UPS + TerraCycle websites to verify safest practices during the pandemic.) To date, over 202 million people have helped to collect and recycle enough waste to generate TerraCycle points that have raised raise over 44 million dollars for non-profits around the world. Reuse   Arguably the number one way to tackle the issue of how to minimize landfill and ocean-bound trash is to stop generating so much of it. Products like Josie Maran Argan Sugar Balm Body Scrub are cleverly packaged in beautiful containers that, once used up, can be cleaned to then hold a myriad of things (like reusable cotton rounds). The teardrop shaped bottle that holds Pure Argan Milk Intensive Hydrating Treatment (or most of Josie Maran bottles, for that matter,) is the perfect size for a little bedside bud vase for calming lavender clippings to encourage a soothing sleep. Let’s all do our part— we are facing these global challenges together.   (Thank you, as always, for supporting the businesses that help us keep our tiny cottage’s twinkle lights glowing— especially now.)

MEGA, a leading construction toy brand, announced today a partnership with international recycling specialist TerraCycle. This partnership will recycle used Mega Bloks, Mega Construx and other non-electronic MEGA toys to create new products in Canada.   Through the Blocks and Bricks Recycling Program, consumers can send in MEGA toys to be recycled at no charge to the consumer. Participation is easy: consumers can sign up on the program page at www.terracycle.com/blocks-and-bricks-en-ca then mail in their blocks and bricks using a prepaid shipping label that can be printed at home.   Once collected, the blocks and bricks will be cleaned, melted into hard plastic and remolded to make new products from the recycled materials, which may include playgrounds, picnic tables and park benches, to name a few. The Blocks and Bricks Recycling Program is open to any individual, school, office, or community organization interested.   "MEGA is giving builders of all ages a unique opportunity to divert waste from landfills," said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle's founder and CEO. "By collecting and recycling items that are typically not recyclable through municipal programs, consumers are given the opportunity to think twice about what is recyclable and what truly is trash."   Earlier this year, MEGA released a new line of building products made from plant-based materials. As part of the line, all products come in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified packaging that is fully recyclable.   "Our plant-based blocks were the first step towards creating a more sustainable future and we are excited to continue the momentum as we believe that with every step, together we can make an impact," said Bisma Ansari, SVP of MEGA. "By teaming up with TerraCycle, we are providing builders a more sustainable option to dispose of their well-loved toys and the ability to recycle our toys for free. We are very proud to continue our commitment towards a greener planet, one block at a time, as we build a brighter tomorrow together."

Simple, actionable ways to reduce waste at home and on-the-go that help the planet by lowering the amount of garbage sent to landfills, and save you money at the same time.        Products IN, garbage OUT.   Imagine the typical home in the United States. Each week bags full of groceries and household goods come in the front door and each week large bags of trash go out the back.   Even if you are buying healthy, organic food, non-toxic cleaning products and natural beauty & personal care, there’s still a lot of stuff coming in one door and eventually out the other.   I’ve heard from many of you who want to prioritize reducing waste in your home. You want to stop this cycle of stuff cluttering up your home and eventually heading for the landfill. We know it’s terrible for the planet and frankly, too much stuff makes us feel out of control and unhappy.   The good news is, there are lots of ways to reduce your garbage output, without drastically changing your lifestyle. All it takes is a bit of preparation and a mindful outlook toward what you bring in the front door in the first place.  

BENEFITS OF REDUCING WASTE

  FACT: The average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash per day.  That’s over 1500 pounds per year – a crazy amount!   So you can imagine how the environmental benefits of creating less waste are huge. When you create less waste you are lowering the amount of stuff sent to landfills or the incinerator, which in turn reduces greenhouse gasses and creates less pollution.   FACT: 9 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year. And 40% of that plastic is single-use. What a waste!   Read up on a few more statistics on the plastic waste crisis and you’ll want to reduce your plastic use immediately. The less plastic you buy, the less will end up in our oceans, waterways and in landfills.   FACT: For every one garbage can of waste you put out on the curb, 70 garbage cans of waste were made upstream in factories to create the stuff in that garbage you put out on the curb. (Source: Story of Stuff)   The amount of energy and materials required to create the products we use is something we don’t often think about. Using fewer products and less packaging can lead to lower pollution around the world.   FACT: Making a conscious effort to reduce waste can save you money.   For starters, buying from the bulk bins is usually cheaper than buying packaged products because you aren’t paying for the packaging and brand marketing. And when you buy only what you need – whether it’s food, clothing or other household goods, you aren’t wasting money on things that aren’t bringing value to your life.   One additional thought – depending on where you live, you might be able to switch to a smaller garbage can or even go down to one garbage pickup a month, which can lower your utility bill. Another win for a low waste lifestyle!  

IS ZERO WASTE THE GOAL?

  Zero waste is a popular term these days. You’ll find it splashed all over internet and popping up in books like Zero Waste Home or Zero Waste Kitchen. It’s even in the title of my very popular blog post: Zero Waste Alternatives to Plastic Wrap.   Aiming for zero waste is a great aspirational goal but most of us (especially those of us with kids), will still have some garbage going out. Personally, I view zero waste as more of a guiding philosophy but not the specific end goal.   Zero waste is a shift in mindset to being a more eco-conscious consumer. This mindset helps us evaluate what we buy and bring into our homes in terms of its effect on the planet.   The real goal is to reduce the waste you kick to the curb each week and know that anything you do makes a difference!      

HOW TO REDUCE WASTE AT HOME

  Whether you are well on your way to a green & healthy lifestyle or are just beginning to make changes to live more naturally, there are many simple changes you can make to reduce the number of bags of garbage you carry out the back door to the garbage each week.   Read through these tips for reducing waste and see how many you can start implementing right away. Keep track of your garbage output and see how low you can go! Then leave a comment with your zero waste wins and what has worked for you so we can all learn from each other!

 

1.  BUY REUSABLE, NOT DISPOSABLE

  Invest in durable, reusable products instead of wasteful disposables.

• Microfiber cloths or cotton cloths instead of paper towels and disposable wipes. (Here are some of my favorite reusable kitchen products and alternatives to plastic wrap.)
• A glass straw or stainless steel straw instead of single-use plastic straw.
• Reusable lunch containers and snack bags instead of plastic baggies.
• Rechargeable batteries instead of traditional.
• Reusable tableware and utensils instead of the throw-away type.
• Choose biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic. (Find lots more zero waste bathroom essentials here!)

 

2.  BUY PRODUCTS WITH LESS PACKAGING

  Reduce the amount of packaging waste you throw out by simply not bringing it home in the first place.

• Avoid food sold in big plastic clam-shells. There is usually an alternative way to buy the same product with less packaging.
• Look for concentrated versions of cleaning products that come in smaller bottles.
• Forget all those mini packages of snacks you see at the store. Buy a big box or bag and send it to school in reusable snack bags.
• Make DIY cleaning products and homemade beauty products instead of buying new.
• Purchase meat wrapped in butcher paper instead of packed on non-recyclable styrofoam trays.
• Buy package free soap

     

 

3.  REFILL IT!!

  Fill up an old container instead of buying a new one.

• Buy food from the bulk bins by bringing jars or bags from home to fill with nuts, beans, flour, granola & more.
• Pay a deposit on a glass milk jug and bring it back to be refilled when you are finished.
• Purchase cleaning products that are refillable like Grove Collaborative or My Green Fills.
• Look for refillable beauty products like shampoo, lotion or liquid soap at your local co-op or health food store.
• Refill printer cartridges instead of buying new.

 

4.  REPURPOSE

  Use something you already have instead of buying something new for the job.

• Old t-shirts and towels become absorbent rags.
• Plastic yogurt tubs are great for holding crayons, paintbrushes, nails etc…
• Keep shoe boxes for storing old papers or favorite mementos.
• Egg cartons are perfect for separating craft supplies.
• Buy gently used clothing from thrift stores or consignment shops.
• Shop your basement or storage locker before buying something new

 

5.  BE SELECTIVE

  Don’t take it if you don’t need it!

• Think twice before you buy (Here’s a whole post about How to Buy Less because that’s a whole different subject!)
• Pass on freebies that you really won’t use.
• Don’t buy it just because it’s cheap!

 

6.  COMPOST FOOD WASTE

  Turn food scraps into valuable dirt for your garden!

• Start small with a kitchen compost bucket.
• Find an outdoor space for a compost bin or tumbler.
• Let worms do the work if are up for trying vermiculture.

     

7.  RECYCLE EVERYTHING YOU CAN

  Go beyond curbside recycling and commit to recycling as much as you can.

• Office supply stores often take printer cartridges and old cell phones.
• Turn in old sports shoes for recycling at participating stores or Soles4Soles.
• Fundraising programs like Terracycle take used drink pouches, yogurt cups and snack packages and turn them into useful household products.
• Bring dry cleaning bags & hangers back to the dry cleaner.
• Donate old pillows and blankets to the Humane Society.
• Donate used clothing to Goodwill or similar thrift stores.
• Research how to recycle anything at Earth911.com.

 

8.  BE PREPARED

  Keep reusable items in strategic places to keep you from wasting even more.

• Take a glass straw with you everywhere you go!
• Carry a compact shopping bag in your purse or briefcase.
• Keep reusable grocery bags in your car (no excuse for forgetting them at home!)
• Store reusable utensils and a cloth napkin at your desk or in your car.
• Keep empty food storage containers with you for when the take-out bug strikes.

This year’s Earth Month celebrations may look a little different for pet parents, but did you know slowing down and staying close to home can have a positive impact on the environment? Think about it: There are fewer cars on the road, we take more steps on foot, are more mindful of the things we buy and have the time and space for activities with a light foot (or, paw) print. Our furry family members love us unconditionally and are so happy to spend more time with their people! Here are some low-impact activities you can take up with your pet by your side:

1. Plant a pet-friendly garden

Now’s a great time to weed, turn over and clean out your garden plots to make room for new growth this spring! Vegetables, fruit bushes, flower beds...the possibilities are endless. If you have a safe, fenced-in outdoor space, your pet will love time in the sun while you work. Pets and plants don’t always get along, though, so creating balance ensures the two live in harmony. Check out How to Plant a Pet Friendly Garden This Spring for more.

2. Stay active outdoors

In times of in-office work and school, we’d de-stress by looking at images of nature, which can have the same calming effects on the brain as being in nature. With that, just think of how powerful actually being outside can be for your mental health and the wellness of your pet! Sitting outside and taking walks with your pet are wonderful opportunities to connect with the world and check in with the mind and body. To ensure you leave your path better than you found it, see these 5 Ways to Make Outdoor Excursions with Your Pet More Eco-Friendly. And while we are quarantining, remember to always follow social distancing guidelines. That said, you may need to slightly adjust your outdoor-time approach.

3. Get crafty with a Do-It-Yourself project

Now that you get to spend all this lovely time with your furry family member(s), showering them with attention might bring to mind new toys, collars and other accessories. Instead of buying new, take this opportunity to slow down and get creative by upcycling items you already have into treats your pets will love. Turn old t-shirts into a ball toss toy for your dog, and toilet paper rolls into a lightweight ball for your cat. You can even make everyday items out of empty Wellness Pet Food packaging, such as a water bowl, treat holder, or a cute little cape for your mighty mutt!

4. Keep recycling Wellness pet food and treat packaging

Now more than ever, recycling is an eco-activity that lowers your carbon footprint and protects the planet for future generations of pets! All Wellness dry food and treat flexible plastic packaging can be easily recycled through our free TerraCycle program. Just join, collect and download a prepaid label from your account. Bonus: the more you recycle, the more points you earn in exchange for a cash donation to your favorite pet charity or nonprofit organization. ___ Looking for more ways to make a difference while palling around with your pets? Check out How to be an Environmentally Conscious Pet Parent.

If there’s a temporary silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been its positive environmental impact. With a third of the world’s population on lockdown, pollution figures have plummeted. China, most famously so far, has seen a 25-percent reduction in carbon emissions, which led to the potential saving of 77,000 lives, according to one Earth systems scientist. And we’ve all seen the images of dolphins reclaiming Italy’s waterways, and goats enjoying empty thoroughfares in Wales. For this Earth Week, apparently, Gaia is breathing a much-needed sigh of relief.   But even the few plusses of this global pause can be deceptive—and they present their own problems, according to Alex Schulze and Andrew Cooper, the millennial founders of the Boca Raton-based environmental business 4Ocean. I spoke to them last week for an article that will appear in our July/August print edition, but our conversation also addressed the present pandemic and its ecological trade-offs.   “It goes both ways,” Schulze says. “What’s happening to the environment right now is we’re seeing a massive reduction in carbon emissions due to travel being cut down, and factories and production centers being shut down. National parks and oceans and different protected areas [are] starting to thrive because there’s not human interaction.   “Unfortunately, one of the biggest things we’re trying to push with our social channels is, now more than ever, people are ordering takeout at a massive rate. They’re getting Styrofoam containers and getting single-use plastics, because they want to stay safe, and they want to be sanitary.”   “With everybody putting everything in plastic bags now and wiping everything down and throwing it on the ground and taking their gloves off in the parking lot, that’s all on its way to the ocean,” adds Cooper. “It doesn’t need to be a picnic on the beach to end up in the ocean.”   “It’s a tough time,” says Shulze, “and we’re trying to bring any awareness that we can to make sure people stay safe, but to do so as sustainably as possible.”   4Ocean, which funds global ocean cleanups through sales of merchandise, like bracelets, made from recycled materials, has not been immune to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic; Schulze says the company had to lay off 70 percent of its staff. But its cleanup efforts have continued. Last week its crew pulled a mattress out of a river, and its Bali teams pulled 30,000 pounds of trash from oceans and coastlines during seven days in April.   Shulze and Cooper continue to use their social platforms to urge environmental awareness during this unprecedented time, stressing the responsible disposal of PPE. They call for users to donate extra unused masks/gloves, recycle them as long as they’ve been disinfected and sanitized, order a collection bin from a company like TerraCycle and place the used products there, or drop them into proper waste receptacles.    

Are you thinking about shopping with home delivery during the lockdown? You need to know Loop, the home grocery delivery service that picks up and recycles what you buy when you are done. Earth911 talks with Benjamin Weir, North American business development manager at Loop. Launched by TerraCycle, the innovative recycling company, Loopstore.com currently offers 173 food and personal care products to customers in the U.S. Northeast and in France. Like the traditional milkman, Loop drops off and picks up product packaging. The packages are cleaned and reused by TerraCycle. No mess, lots less recycling hassle. Loop has developed new returnable and reusable packaging for products that include a steel Häagen-Dazs ice cream pint, Tide purclean detergent, and Love Beauty Planet personal care products. Customers receive their orders in an insulated tote bag, which is picked up when full by UPS and returned to TerraCycle. Weir explains that customers typically have two totes “in motion.” The company will expand service in the U.S. and Europe during 2020; it also is working to expand its product selection. We also discuss how Loop is working with its partners to reduce customer and worker exposure to potential coronavirus infection.

Coffee and the American morning go together like peanut butter and jelly. More than 60 percent of Americans drink it daily, the country averaging three cups per person for a total of 400 million cups of coffee per day. The United States leads consumer consumption globally.   The downside to America’s coffee habit is rampant waste: One sobering statistic suggests 25 billion cardboard and styrofoam cups, used only once, are tossed into the American waste stream each year.   Coffee drinking will never be a truly closed-loop, sustainable activity — for starters, it grows in far-flung places. Given climate change threatens coffee production worldwide, every effort to reduce one’s carbon footprint helps ensure a future with coffee in it; this includes buying beans from thoughtful roasters, going the manual brewing route at home, and carrying reusable vessels.  

1. Know the Roaster

  The first step to conscientious coffee drinking is to consider the bean source. Specialty coffee roaster groups such as Cooperative Coffee, which boasts over 20 members, source organic coffee from small-scale farmers, emphasizing long-term, sustainable practices. Counter Culture, although not a member of such a cooperative, applies the same ethos with its remarkable transparency, laying bare all its 300-plus contracts with farmers, as well as measuring its greenhouse gas emissions, plastic reduction, and pricing.   Other roasters have overhauled their operations and capital investments. For example, Peet’s Coffee built the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified roasting plant in Alameda, Calif., in 2007. More than 75 percent of construction waste from the project was recycled. Currently, Peet’s roasting operations, serving 252 locations across the U.S., use 40 percent less natural gas, run on high efficiency lighting, and conserve water use.  

2. Pick Packaging Wisely

  To keep coffee fresh, home users can’t buy in bulk, rather deferring to 12- and 16-ounce bags. The cumulative effect: 145 million bags into the garbage worldwide, annually. To combat this, Brooklyn Roasting Company’s 12-ounce tin-steel containers are designed for segregation by magnet in landfills.   Some roasters, such as Sweet Bloom in Denver and Sightglass in San Francisco, offer not just biodegradable, but compostable bags. However, consumers must remember to remove the tin tie and degassing valve. Even further along the curve is Elevate Packaging’s completely compostable coffee bag. Companies like TerraCycle offer recycling solutions for coffee bags, though the onus is on the consumer to track down deposit bins.  

3. Grind With Care

  Compared to electric machines, manual grinders require more time, effort, and, unfortunately, can be limited in capacity to less than the equivalent of two mugs. The good news is that the build quality and precision of manual grinders introduced in the last decade means users won’t sacrifice precision, control, or longevity.   Spare those elbows and shoulder joints with a quality hand grinder offering steel burrs for speed and uniformity and two-mug capacity (at least 35 grams). Plan on spending far more than $100 on grinders like the 1Zpresso J series, JX, Kinu M47, or Orphan Lido 3.  

4. Do it for the Gram

  Specialty coffee enthusiasts know brewing, like baking, demands careful measurements. However, few modern analog scales are sensitive enough to measure within 1 gram of precision. Plus, most scales are digital, requiring batteries or electricity. The solar scale by MUJI is one of few renewable energy options offering 1 gram increments.  

5. Find a Reusable Filter

  Brewing coffee at home saves money and cuts down on to-go cups. For those lucky enough to own a Chemex Coffeemaker, first made in 1941 (and seen in Don Draper’s kitchen in “Mad Men”), a reusable cloth filter or cone can be used in place of single-use paper filters. The CoffeeSock is handmade in Austin, Texas, from organic cotton grown in North Carolina.   Maintenance is simple: Rinse and dry between each use, then boil every four to six weeks to remove coffee oils. Stainless steel filters are even easier to maintain. Ovalware and Barista Warrior both sell cones in three finishes: stainless steel, gold and rose gold/copper, respectively. Able Kone has great design chops, albeit for double the price.  

6. Consider the Cup

  Most — almost all — cups can’t be recycled because they are coated with a plastic resin. Companies have made strides toward compostable or recyclable versions, though so far, there’s been little scale. Starbucks recently announced product trials of greener cups with biodegradable liners. Of course, this still requires users to dispose of them properly.   Besides the sheer physical volume of waste, cup production is energy- and resource-intensive. According to the nonprofit Clear Water Fund, “Eighty percent of the pollution happens upstream during the extraction and manufacturing phase of the product’s life-cycle before it even reaches a consumer’s hands. Transporting used cups to a landfill or recycling facility is energy intensive.”   Instead of demanding technology serve throwaway culture, a collective mind shift, like we did with straws, can curtail waste. In essence: Carry a reusable mug. A host of options have hit the market, employing different materials and solutions to the same problem. As an incentive to BYO, many coffee shops now offer discounts for the effort.   The Joco Cup features a glass wall wrapped in silicone. However, one drawback for consumers on foot and not in cars is that the heavier glass can drop and shatter. Keep Cup offers a lighter solution: In addition to glass and stainless steel, the company produces a reusable plastic version. Additionally, an innovative brand out of Australia won a design award for its Huskee Cup made of coffee husk, an organic waste material produced during coffee milling. Skip bamboo cups for now; they’ve been shown to leach chemicals into hot liquids.   Of course, the ultimate way to enjoy coffee from a café sustainably is to sit down with a ceramic mug and sip it mindfully, like they did in the old days. But until that time arises, consider these actionable items to make your coffee consumption better for the environment.

This isn't just about plastic jars or cellophane or the Pacific Ocean. By 2050, shipping could be responsible for 10 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. For a better idea of the magnitude, we plotted the journeys of four products — from concept to an imaginary doorstep in Oklahoma City — to plot out a carbon map behind some products. More and more, companies are choosing to move their goods by rail rather than a plane. Others are using materials that would otherwise litter our oceans. We'll let the map do the talking. And then let's keep the conversation going. Here's how four of your favorite beauty products get from the factory to being into your hands — sustainably.

Herbal Essences' Bio: Renew Line

 

  Pacific Ocean For Herbal Essences' Bio: Renew line, the journey begins in the Pacific, where ocean-waste plastic is culled. New Jersey The plastic takes the slow boat to TerraCycle's facility, where it's processed into a raw material that can be used to create bottles. Indiana A packaging vendor sandwiches the Pacific plastic between two layers of virgin plastic. While not ideal, the bottle still uses 25 percent less virgin plastic than a traditional shampoo bottle and complies with most municipal recycling programs. The bottles then make their way, by truck or rail, to another Iowa (or West Virginia) factory to be filled. Then they're off to retailers across the country... Oklahoma City ...where a shopper places it in their cart. $6 each (Shop Now)

Glossier Balm Dotcom

 

Tennessee Having sprung forth from a mood board in New York City, the tubes and caps for Glossier Balm Dotcom are molded and printed in Tennessee.   New Jersey Next, they're trucked back east to be filled with the product, which was also made in the Garden State.   Ohio The finished, filled tubes then make their way by truck to a warehouse a few hundred miles west.   Oklahoma City An order to be delivered to OKC would likely travel from Ohio to Oklahoma by truck, says Glossier.   $12 (Shop Now)   Minnesota The glue-stick-like plastic tubes that house Olio e Osso's tinted balms travel by rail from a factory in Minnesota to the brand’s Oregon studio.   Portland The formula is mixed in small batches at the studio, then poured into the tubes. The outer stickers — sourced just outside of Portland — are then added.   Oklahoma City USPS picks up the orders directly from the studio and gets them to their final destination by truck.   $28 (Shop Now)   China East Coast While the packaging components that make up an Urban Decay Naked2 Eyeshadow Palette are being produced in a factory in Asia, the makeup itself is being made on the East Coast. "We like to make the actual [product] that goes on your face in factories where we can be on the ground floor and have a lot of control," says cofounder Wende Zomnir.   Dominican Republic The empty palettes and the shadows make their way, by boat, to the Dominican Republic, where assembly takes place.   Flordia Shadows plus package get on another boat, headed back to the U.S. "We might do an emergency shipment here or there by plane," says Zomnir. "But you can get the same result by planning ahead and shipping it on a boat."   New Jersey The palettes are then trucked to the brand's warehouse.   Oklahoma City One more trip — likely by truck — and the shimmering shadows are in a customer's hands.   $29 (Shop Now)    

   

The L’Occitane Group has chosen Loop Industries as a key provider of 100 percent reused virgin-quality PET plastic. The L’Occitane Group, a worldwide manufacturer and retailer of normal beautifying agents and prosperity items, and Loop Industries, an innovation trend-setter in sustainable plastic, declared the marking of a multiyear supply agreement for Loop-marked 100 percent reasonable PET plastic. The assention will see the L’Occitane en Provence mark begin to join Loop PET plastic into its product packaging starting at 2022, empowering it to increment from its present 30 percent reused plastic to achieve 100 percent in its bottles by 2025 and put the Loop logo on all packaging containing Loop PET plastic. As the interest for feasible packaging solutions keeps on developing, Loop Industries has risen with upcycling innovation that permits utilization of plastic bottles and packaging, cover and polyester textile of any color, straightforwardness or condition and even sea plastics that have been debased by the sun and salt to give mark proprietors a practical plastic item that helps solve the plastic pollution issue and meets FDA prerequisites for use in food-grade packaging. Along these lines, when the Loop logo shows up on a package, it is an affirmation for customers that the plastic is sustainable. “Helping companies leverage their packaging as a symbol of their commitment to sustainability rather than a symbol of waste is one of our primary missions. We are so pleased to work with the L’Occitane Group, a leading premium retail brand, to do just that,” said Daniel Solomita, founder and CEO of Loop Industries, in a statement. “We are convinced that companies that make this transition, use sustainable packaging and encourage recycling will help restore our environment and create greater economic value.” The L’Occitane Group said it has always been conscious of the impact of packaging and the fundamental importance of eco-design and recycling. The company first introduced eco-refills in 2008 and currently proposes 15 L’Occitane en Provence eco-refill products. These not only use up to 90 percent less packaging than the original containers (representing a saving of 121 tons in 2018) but also lower carbon dioxide emissions thanks to the reduced product transport. The group is working with specialized suppliers to design lighter packaging that prioritizes recycled materials and aims to increase its current 84 percent technically recyclable plastic to 100 percent by 2025. Both Loop and L’Occitane realize that it is so critical to keep plastic in the economy and out of the shared environment. This assention supercharges L’Occitane’s capacity to close the circle on its plastic bottles. L’Occitane is going significantly further and is giving in-store reusing facilities to urge its clients to take an interest also. Since 2014, L’Occitane has been working with TerraCycle to give in-store reusing facilities to exhaust beautifyingcontainers and now offers in-store recycling at 30 percent of its owned stores across the world, aiming to reach 100 percent by 2025. “Our brand is inspired by nature, people and culture, and we have been using natural plant-derived ingredients and eco-friendly manufacturing for more than 40 years,” said Adrien Geiger, global brand director at L’Occitane en Provence, in a statement. “We are therefore very conscious of the importance of eco-design and sustainable packaging. We have been launching eco-refill products, in-store recycling and bottles made out of 100 percent recycled plastic for more than 10 years and are continuing to progress on this. The innovative technology that Loop provides is a game-changer that can help us fundamentally contribute to solving the growing global concern about plastic pollution. We are excited to sign with Loop, representing a significant shift in our approach to plastic.” The L’Occitane Group is utilizing the Sustainable Development Goals as a structure to proactively address its environmental challenges and contribute toward the worldwide exertion to lessen plastic pollution. As a major aspect of this, L’Occitane en Provence has marked the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, an activity that is driving activity with businesses and governments to work on solutions that address the root and causes of plastic waste and pollution.

If you’ve been around my website or Instagram for a while, then you know one of my favorite tag-lines and words that I use to describe myself is a 'climate optimist.'   Being a climate optimist is all about finding joy in life. Even when things look bleak, it's believing that together we can turn things around!       On my instagram, @going.zero.waste, I run a series where I round up positive environmental news stories each week.   I'm sure you wouldn't think positive news is controversial, but - oh, boy. I've caught quite a bit of flack for seeing the glass half full and choosing to focus on positivity.   A lot of people see that series as naive and harmful - yes, the word harmful has been used.   They're afraid if people see positives, then they'll stop trying to make a difference or quit pushing for change.   For me, it's just the opposite. When I read depressing climate news, I would feel sad and hopeless. It made me feel like giving up... like what I did, didn't matter at all.   But after reading good news, it encouraged me to keep fighting and proved that my actions do, in fact, matter.   Focusing on the positive fills me with joy and makes me more productive.    

reducing stress:

  These past few weeks have been stressful, and one of the main ways I've been reducing stress is setting aside a little bit of time to pamper myself.   One of the brands that's helping me do that, all while having a great impact on the environment is Josie Maran.   I've been using their argan oil in my hair after showering and it's added an amazing shine. I’m also loving their whipped argan oil body butter and their LIPSTICKS!   Josie Maran's argan oil comes from a UNESCO-protected region to help prevent deforestation and over-harvesting.   A single argan tree can live for more than 600 years and produce fruit throughout its entire lifecycle!   For every argan oil purchase through Sephora, they're donating $5 towards One Tree Planted, and on top of that they're doing a $10 give-back donation to first responders - which I think is amazing!   Their whipped argan oil face butter, whipped argan oil body butter and argan liquid gold self- tanning body oil are produced in facilities that utilize 77% renewable energy.   Most of their products are sold in glass bottles and jars which are perfect for upcycling. But they take full responsibility over all of their packaging because Josie Maran is partnered with TerraCycle to take back all of those empties.  

find what brings you joy:

  A few weeks ago, I was chatting with one of my friends about how I was feeling really down.   I was in a general funk, and this friend, who happens to be a psychologist asked me a really important question...   "What things do you do regularly that bring you joy?"   I kind a looked at her blankly because I couldn't think of a single thing!   The only thing that came to mind was working. It was amazing to realize how much of my self-worth was tied up in my career and business.   When things started to taper off (like they have for a lot of businesses during this time) I felt lost.   Now was the time to start finding joy in other (healthier) places.   So, I started a practice documenting five things that bring joy into everyday life.   This should be a no-pressure exercise. These things don't have to be earth-shattering - heck, they don't even have to be different.   If wearing your favorite lipstick brings you joy today and tomorrow and the next day, take a mental note of it every day. As you're going throughout your day, find the small moments that bring you joy and happiness.   Try it for a week, and if you notice things repeating, try and make time for those things especially on days when you’re not feeling 100.   I've been doing this practice for over a month and it's been so eye-opening!   I've listed a few of my favorites below, but make sure to check out my YouTube video to see even more!  

• house plants
• putting on lipstick <---- I am in LOVE with the color 'LOVE IT' from Josie Maran!
• Nala
• flowers
• fancy drinks
• pampering my skin
• walks with my family
• SUNSHINE!
• dancing to my favorite tunes
• singing
• hot water
• spending time with friends (currently via facetime)

learn to celebrate all the things:

I stopped celebrating a long time ago. Big or small, the celebrations ceased to focus on more “productive” tasks. Instead of feeling proud, I'd jump straight into the next project and never give myself a second thought. One way I’ve brought more joy and happiness into my life has been celebrating the small things. So whenever I do something I'm proud of like putting up all of my laundry instead of letting it linger in the basket for five weeks, reformating all 600 of my blog posts, or finishing a chapter in my third book, I take a few moments to recognize the accomplishment and congratulate myself! For too long, I've waited on recognition from others instead of giving it to myself. Try it out this week! Allow yourself a moment or two to say, "Good job!" Pat yourself on the back, and allow yourself to enjoy that feeling of accomplishment. I’m congratulating myself right now. Because damn girl. I'm proud of you! Look at you. You're almost done writing this blog post and it's FABULOUS.

express gratitude:

This one should come as absolutely no surprise, but expressing gratitude is consistently associated with greater happiness. But, don't just take my word for it, here's the research. Practicing gratitude shifts your perspective and changes the way you interpret situations. It allows you to focus on the good instead of the bad, which will automatically help you have a better and happier day. When you get into a gracious mindset and intentionally start looking for the good, the easier it becomes to both find it and recognize it. Thankfully, it was pretty easy to find all of the good Josie Maran's doing when it comes to the planet! They have some ambitious goals, and are already on their way to achieving them! By next year:

• All boxes will be made using 100% recycled material
• Their materials will be both Green e-certified and FSC-certified, meaning it’s always held to the highest social and environmental standards
• Their product boxes will be printed in completely carbon-neutral facility
• An even greater reduction of waste in manufacturing

you have to choose happiness:

People ask me all the time, how I continue to stay positive even when the outcome seems bleak, and the answer is simple. I am an optimist because I choose to be optimistic. I'm not just finding joy in life, I'm actively looking for it. While some of us might be natural-born optimists, most of us have to train ourselves to seek out the good. I used to dwell on a lot of negative emotions like sadness, jealousy, and anger, but everything shifted when I heard this Buddha quote, "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." All of the negative emotions I had bottled up weren't solving my problems, and the only person I was hurting was myself. I honestly thought, if I worried enough or were upset enough or if I CARED enough then I could solve the world’s problems, but it’s just not true. You don’t have to feel bad every day to prove that you care.

slow down:

Lastly, I’ve been finding joy in the slow and small moments. Being busy is overrated. Worrying is one of my brain’s ways of feeling productive and active during ‘downtime’ (you can read more about that here) because I’ve become so tied to the idea that my worth = my productivity. Logically, I know that’s false, but it’s going to take time for my subconscious to catch up. Slowing down encompasses so many of the things we've already talked about in this post. It's about taking time to celebrate the small things, focusing on what brings you joy, and taking a deep breath to focus on the present world. It's amazing how shallow I breathe when I'm not paying attention or living in the moment, but when I take a deep breath it's so much easier to bring myself back into the present moment. So when my mind starts to wander into the future or thinking about what comes next, I just take a minute to slow down and focus on the task that’s right in front of me whether that’s doing the dishes, watching a movie with Justin or getting ready for the day and putting on my favorite lipstick. I would like to thank Josie Maran for sponsoring this post If you'd like snap up a bottle of their beloved argan oil, I want to remind you that they're donating $5 towards One Tree Planted, and offering a $10 give-back donation to first responders this month!